Keywords: solar-terrestrial physics, planetary influences on solar activity, solar neutrinos, sunspots, solar activity, Field-dynamical Planetary Model, Field-dynamical Earth Model

As with all the web pages on the Living Cosmos web site, this web page is a fully referenced work, and is only a portion of the factual, empirical support for the ideas presented. However, these references are not included on this web page, but are included in the book, The Vital Vastness. This book is now published with the full scope and references, and is available for purchase. An attempt will be made to address queries, but not all queries can be answered. Excerpts are presented here as indented paragraphs, and those lines appearing with quotes are from some of the cited references.

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Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Earthly Influences on Solar Activity
• Planetary Influences on Solar Activity
• Solar Neutrinos
• Related News Items

• Internet Resources on Solar-Terrestrial Physics

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Introduction

Theories of planetary influences on solar activity have a long history. Again, as is so typical of the current mind-set in the physical sciences, these observations have been attributed to gravitational effects, but gravitational effects are far too weak. Because of this, some scientists have denied any planetary influence exists, but the effect is not gravitational. Rather, the effect is electromagnetic. These influences are the result of a new Earth model, referred to as the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM), and the other planets are similar at this level, referred to as a Field-dynamical Planetary Model. Here are some excerpts from The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two: The Living Cosmos.

Earthly Influences on Solar Activity

When considering all of the observations, they call for a spiraling electromagnetic helix typical of the Fields on the planets, like the Polar Fields' and their helical auroras. These Fields are accelerated towards the Sun's surface by a coupling with the Interplanetary Magnetic Field; abbreviated IMF (see Figure 4). A solar physicist's comments strongly indicate that the Field-dynamical Model of the planets are at work: "The similarity of auroral particle acceleration to the solar flare case has suggested to several authors that the same acceleration mechanisms may explain both phenomena. It seems likely that more than one acceleration mechanism may be necessary to explain all observations." A planetary correlation with sunspots has been claimed by many scientists throughout the years, but has been denied by others, because no mechanism was known, and gravitational effects are far too weak.

Notwithstanding, a number of observations indicate that the Earth and other planets trigger solar activity. Flares do not form at the brightest x-ray point in sunspots, and other types of solar activity, which indicates that the trigger is far from the site. Also the magnetic fields are continuous, but would not be if they were the result of internal processes. Internal motions would disrupt an internal field. In fact, some flares affect different depths of the solar surface (i.e., corona, chromosphere or photosphere), which is another indication of a remote field.

The Earth's magnetic field undergoes changes of intensity that reflect the magnitude of changes in solar activity before they take place on the Sun. This study took into account eight solar cycles totaling 89 years (1884 to 1972). The observations disclosed that magnetic data for the Earth at sunspot minimum indicates the "depth" of the following maximum.

Furthermore, the majority of solar maximums take place in a period around the vernal equinox. The scientist that conducted the study states: "Of the 21 maximums occurring during the period 1750-1970 thirteen take place during the 4-month period February-May, while only four occur during each of the periods June-September and October-January." Flare formation around the time of the March or vernal equinox unveils the effects of the Earth. After all, months are relative to the Earth's motion around the Sun, not the Sun itself.

These seasonal variations are also noted in naked-eye Oriental sunspot sightings, which show a peak in March, and a secondary peak in April. A third peak is noted around the December solstice. This effect is not random, and it has been suggested that late winter-early spring dust storms obscured sightings in other seasons, bringing about this effect. However, this does not explain the December peak, a time when there were winter thunderstorms, especially during solar maximums. Furthermore, dust storms have more often been an aid, rather than a hindrance, to naked eye viewing of the Sun.

More recent solar events also show these peaks, as well. Major solar activity was noted for June 1988, March 1989, March 1990, March and June 1991, and so on. Some of the strongest solar proton events also occur around these times. The strongest proton events for certain years are 24 September 1978; 13 October 1981; 13 July 1982; 26 April 1984; 13 and 18 March 1989; 13 August 1989; 30 September 1989; 20 October 1989; 1 December 1989; 24 March 1991; 11 June 1991; 8 July 1991; 9 May 1992; 31 October 1991; 21 February 1994; and 21 April 1998 (all are 1,700 pfu @ > 10 MeV or greater). All of these events are within five weeks, some are within a few weeks or days, of the equinoxes or solstices. In fact, the strongest was 24 March 1991, just a few days following the vernal equinox (43,000 pfu @ > 10 MeV). Moreover, in 1991 there were very strong solar activity, solar flares, and geomagnetic storms that revealed the FEM-solar linkage. Other facts confirm the FEM-solar linkage (as will be shown throughout this chapter).

One such fact is the 1913 and 1969 jerks of the geomagnetic field, which are correlated with the 11-year solar cycle. Shifts in the geomagnetic field peak first, then solar activity. Again, this phenomenon indicates that the Earth is responsible for the solar transformations; it is a matter of cause and effect. Further support for this linkage is evident in theories that attribute the polar jerks to both internal and solar variations. Impulses were first attributed to internal processes, but were later correlated to solar activity. The reason they are attributed to both is that FEM and the Sun are a single unit. Polar jerks, reversals and wander will be discussed in section 5.7. The entire solar-FEM linkage can be noted in the fact that solar activity, geomagnetic activity, changes in the length of day (i.e., the Earth's rotation), and various geophysical phenomena, including climate, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions are correlated.

The vernal equinox is a time when the Earth has both poles oriented perpendicular to the ecliptic plane, and is moving toward the Sun, making it an ideal time for interaction with the solar wind and Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF). Geomagnetic activity reaches a maximum around the time of the equinoxes, with the largest variations in spring and fall, as well as daily and annual variations, and this effect is controlled by the Earth's interaction with the IMF.

Due to the interactions between the IMF and geomagnetic field (GMF), there is a twelve-month wave in geomagnetic activity with a maximum at the March (vernal) and September (autumnal) equinoxes. The largest sunspot average effect on the Sun's Northern Hemisphere switched to the largest effect on the Southern Hemisphere in 1913, the year of a polar jerk. This occurred along with the deepest solar activity minimum since 1811. Also, it was a year when solar motion around the center of mass (barycenter) attained a minimum. The conclusion is inescapable: "It seems, however, that these phenomena are the result of a common cause."

One of the most established connections between the Earth and Sun is the close correlations between changes in the Earth's magnetic field, and fluctuations in the coming and going of sunspots. So interconnected are these fields that the polarity of the IMF can be inferred by observations of the Earth's magnetic field. An Earthly influence on solar activity has been commented upon by one scientist who proposes that the GMF could be a strange attractor due to some type of oscillations, and thereby, creates turbulent flow. Others claim that different mechanisms are responsible for an Earthly influence on solar activity.

Observations near the Earth also confirm a solar-FEM linkage in solar activity. The most energetic solar flare phenomena are associated with what are called Ground Level Events (GLE). All GLE between 1942 and 1978 displayed no delay in onset times; they occurred on the Sun and Earth simultaneously. In order to explain this, the IMF must intersect "open field lines connected to Earth." Such events are only partly accelerated on site, but also in the heliosphere, which extends beyond the planets.

It was noted that an active boundary of the IMF (current sheet), and plasma layers in the geomagnetic field (GMF) were surrounding a strong rotation of the GMF that contained compressed and heated solar wind plasma. This observation reveals one of the IMF-GMF interactions that take place. An enhanced field strength and considerable wave activity direction is noted, but not in the direction predicted by the magnetic stresses across the boundary. The source of the energy and momentum were unknown. However, the unknown is the Polar Field of FEM interacting with the IMF, and accelerating the solar wind earthward. This is why solar wind streams display a pronounced local depletion of ion concentrations near the Earth. In contrast, during quiet periods the Earth is one of the main sources of protons.

The Moon, which influences Earthly phenomena (as will be discussed in this chapter), is also observed in solar activity. A lunar effect is indicated in proton counts (1952-1963), and neutron counts (1958-1963) near the Earth (i.e., the lunar mean synodic rotation of 27.3 days, and the synodic month of 29.5 days, which is especially beyond random distribution). There is also a lunar influence on the occurrence of aurora. The Moon influences the dynamics of FEM by triggering particle flow, which in turn may influence the Sun due to the solar-FEM linkage.

Other indications of an Earthly influence on solar activity have been noted. Only 25% of all solar flares cause magnetic disturbances at the Earth (geomagnetic storms). However, as stated, the Earth's magnetic field always reveals solar activity prior to that activity.

Even flare formation and aurora formation are very similar. Hydrogen (-alpha) flares develop in about 20 to 30 minutes, and auroral substorms in about 30 minutes. In x-ray and microwaves the flare occurs in less than a minute, and auroral intensity increases two to three orders of magnitude in about a minute. Both have x-ray emissions and electron spectra that are similar. An astrophysicist makes the inevitable statement: "It is fascinating to infer that an auroral 'curtain' and a flare 'ribbon' are produced by similar processes."

Large-scale fluctuations of the solar wind occur in the Earth's vicinity (1 AU), and display a period of four days. The intermediate-frequency fluctuations occur in periods from approximately nine hours to four days, and low-frequency from about four days to the solar rotational period. In addition, there are periods of three to four days in Interplanetary Magnetic Field phenomena. All these phenomena have a common period of four days.

A number of phenomena on Earth have a period of four days, and this is associated with the time-varying aspects of the Fields. There is a 4-day period in mid-latitude electron zone flow induced by lightning. Thunderstorms increase about four days after cosmic-ray events (e.g., flares). The electrical potential change in the lower troposphere and radioactive elements (radionuclides; e.g., Be⁷) increase about four days after solar eruptions. Likewise, when the IMF sector structure passes the Earth there is an increase in the size of cyclones (VAI; Vorticity Area Index), which peaks in about four days. Weather events, earthquakes, and other geophysical phenomena also display a 4-day period (this will be discussed). Putting it all into perspective, the life connection of FEM can be seen in the fact that all life on Earth has a "preperception," four days prior to magnetic changes on Earth that are later caused by solar events. To better state this, life on Earth contributes to the functioning of FEM, which in turn influences the Sun, and this then affects FEM.

Further support for this understanding is afforded by observations of the interrelationships between the geomagnetic field (GMF) and the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF). The aurora known as the Theta-arc configuration occurs along a certain structure of the IMF, which is the north-directed IMF (i.e., the y-component). Dynamics of the Earth's polar region, where auroras take place (i.e., polar cusp), are related to IMF solar wind particles when they are injected into the region where the northward IMF and GMF lines merge. The IMF carries shock waves that cause geomagnetic storms, and corresponds with other polar phenomena (such as, the electrostatic potential). The active regions of the IMF, at 0^o to 40^o latitudes, are ideal for interaction with the Earth's orbital plane, which is inclined 7^o to the solar equator. The IMF's annual change form toward or away form the Sun occurs when the heliographic latitude of the Earth is 0^o, and this IMF shift depends on which solar pole is tipped toward the Earth. So interconnected are the GMF and IMF that the polarity of the IMF can be deduced from observations of the GMF.

As discussed, the IMF and GMF interact more during the equinoxes, and one pole during the solstice. As a result, there is a maximum in geomagnetic activity during the equinoxes due to the Earth's inclination on it axis relative to the IMF. The strongest activity occurs when open field lines merge, particularly when the IMF is southward with maximums just following the equinoxes on about 5 April and 6 October.

Processes other than the Sun and the IMF are required to accelerate the solar wind in interplanetary space. Not realizing that the Earth's and other planets' Fields influence solar activity and the solar wind, scientists make comments like these: "The nature of the sources of accelerated particles is still unclear." "The nature of the Sun's magnetic field and the processes that cause sunspot-belt flux to erupt as observed remain enigmatic." In contrast, another scientist comments on the Earth's influence: "The phenomena observed indicate that the Earth also apparently repels sunspots to the farther side of the Sun." Other studies also indicate the Earth has an influence on solar activity.

Numerous flare observations confirm that a mechanism(s) outside the Sun triggers flares and sunspots. Studies of flares indicate that there are mechanisms that are overlying the Sun's surface. For example, the charge interchange with atomic and ionized hydrogen at particle sources appears to require two different acceleration mechanisms. The preexisting field on the Sun must be moved "aside" for the emerging flux to develop. Flare loops form through a magnetic reconnection in a local, outwardly extended and external magnetic field. Magnetic disturbances at the Earth and corotating, high-speed streams are so co-fluctuating that the magnetic disturbances have been used to determine solar activity, including seasonal peaks. A team of scientists explain this phenomenon: "That such similar structure is observed in the same phase of different cycles over such a long time (up to tens of years) suggests a quite stable source structure for the geomagnetic disturbances generated by the corotating structure in the solar wind." The Sun and Earth are a single unit when it comes to solar activity.

Aside from solar maximums occurring more around the vernal equinox, and the Earth's magnetic field indicating the depth of the following maximum, there are other connections with FEM. Solar cycles fluctuations in phenomena on Earth and the life upon it are well known. For example, a double solar cycle of 22 years is apparent in the heavy hydrogen (deuterium) to hydrogen (D/H) ratios in fossilized tree wood. This shows that there are cyclic variations in air or water temperature that are in accord with solar cycles. The thickness of annual sediment layers also display a 22-year cycle. There are many similar cyclic correlations that will be discussed in section 5.2, and cannot be explained solely by the relatively minor fluctuations in solar output.

Life and the electrical potential of the Earth vary with solar activity. There is a minimum (1.0 GV; gigavolt) at sunspot minimum, and a maximum (2.7 GV) at solar maximum, which is also reflected in magnetic disturbances on Earth. The air and Earth potentials fluctuate with life. For example, tree potentials (L-fields) shift along with the Earth's magnetic and electric activity, the light-dark cycles, and lunar cycles.

Chemical reactions (Piccardi Tests) on Earth peak first, then solar activity. These chemical reactions are also correlated with magnetic storms, sudden cosmic-ray bombardments, solar flares, and have an annual cycle with a peak, like solar activity, around the March (vernal) equinox. This chemical-reaction effect is also apparent in living things. All life on Earth, even the simplest creatures, such as bacteria, display behavioral and physiological changes four days prior to magnetic disturbances on Earth that are later caused by solar activity. In turn, alternating electromagnetic fields, like those that accompany geomagnetic storms, are biologically active, changing animals (systolic) rhythms, bioelectricity, and blood dynamics.

A highly significant statistical test indicates that the economy (GNP and Price Index), which is actually a measure of the life destroyed, has an influence on solar activity, and not the other way around. Finally, it is a well-known fact that when cycles of the same length here on Earth coincide with solar cycles, it is the Earth's that peaks first. Section 5.2 will illustrate this further.

Other observations bring conformation of this relationship. Polar faculae of the Sun have been observed more since 1951, during minimums. Faculae are produced by solar plasma that is accelerated into the poles of the Sun. The 1950s were a time when the world economy became more industrialized (post-World War II) and solar activity began a new maximum. Since that time these faculae first appeared and continue to reappear. The Sun is maintaining its fusion reactions in response to more losses in the solar wind than previously.

An Earthly influence on sunspots was discussed as far back as 1907, and has continually reappeared in scientific literature since then. The 1907 article was called "An Apparent Influence of the Earth on the Number and Areas of Sunspots in the Cycle 1889-1901." A recent review of these data leads a present-day scientist to conclude that the Earth triggers sunspots.

From section 5.2 the discussion is focused on cycles of solar activity and those of Earthly phenomena, and here is another reference to the GNP:

This relationship is also apparent in the Gross National Product (GNP) and the Wholesale Price Index, both of which are a measure of the life destroyed in the manufacture of goods and the waste generated. A study compared these indexes over a time period from 1889 to 1978 with sunspot cycles, and disclosed the causal factor. In this article, "Sunspots and Cycles: A Test of Causation," in which the authors state:

"In an attempt to identify the limitation of exogeneity testing, we gathered data on a 'classic' question in economics. Is there a causal relationship between sunspots and the business cycle? On the basis of the evidence, we... are forced to conclude that the U.S. economy has a significant impact on the Sun, but that sunspots have no influence on the economy. We were, of course, more than a little surprised to the find that the U.S. economy has any influence on the Sun. However, as [others have] said so well, one 'would have to be rather more pigheaded in order not to have the evidence change his views.' We agree that identifying the linkages constitutes an important topic of future research."

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For a related topic see the web page on cycles

Planetary Influences on Solar Activity

The Earth is not the only planet to display an influence on the formation of sunspots, though it is the most influential. Electron acceleration has been observed near Jupiter, not only along magnetic field lines, but across the regular magnetic field and toward the Sun. In fact, some of these electrons have been noted in the Earth's orbit. An astrophysicist's comment reveals what could be expected of a time-varying accelerator, "the source acts for some days and is then switched off."

This is also true of the other planets, and this is one of the reasons why we observe planetary periods in solar activity. It has been known for a long time that planetary positions that create angles of 0^o, 90^o, 180^o, 270^o, or two planets at 180^o with the third at 90^o affect short-wave radio reception, and radio signals due to increased solar activity. These angles are typical of the dynamics of electric and magnetic field interactions. From 1952 onwards, forecasting based on this understanding alone has been 80% effective.

The Earth in an angular relationship with any of the other planets, such as Venus-Earth configurations, influences the formation of sunspots. Configurations involving Mercury, Earth and Venus show some of the greatest effects. A 110-day cycle of angular acceleration between Venus, Earth and Jupiter is correlated to energetic x-ray bursts. The sources can be noted in the observation that the solar wind is associated with the local depletion of ion concentrations in the Venus and Earth ionospheres.

The four outer, largest planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Uranus) are the most important for determining the position of the Sun, and the center of mass in the Solar System. The three closest (Mercury, Venus and Earth) are the most important for causing the jerk or change of acceleration of the Sun. These influences are the greatest gravitational effects, which are still far too weak to cause the observed shifts in solar activity.

The terms used to describe the angles between the planets are conjunction (0^o), square (90^o), and opposition (180^o), all of which are noted in effects on solar activity. When Venus and Earth are in opposition there are 60% more sunspots than during conjunction. When the Earth, Venus and Jupiter are in conjunction, there are even more sunspots. A study covering a 300-year period disclosed that sunspots increase when Jupiter and Saturn are in conjunction, square and opposition. Uranus and Neptune are in square during maximums, and in conjunction or opposition during minimums. The positions of Mercury, Venus, Earth and Jupiter are correlated with solar proton events. Mercury's revolution around the Sun is also a solar cycle (87.976 days). When Venus, Earth and Jupiter are on the same side of the Sun with Mercury at closest approach (perihelion) the effect doubles. That is, Mercury's orbital period in sunspot data also depends on the phases of Venus, Earth and Jupiter. The conclusions from the data are clear: "There is a close link between various planetary alignments and the dates of sunspot maxima and minima."

The influence is a combination of electromagnetic fields in dynamic interaction that overcome the gravitational (tidal) forces. This is why studies that claim gravitational forces are responsible have been put into the skeptics corner, so to speak, and have somewhat discredited this whole area of study. Gravitational forces are far too weak to be responsible for the effects.

This electromagnetic long-range force is also why there are planetary periods in sunspots. What particularly illustrates this is that Pluto, the farthest (most of the time) and smallest of the planets, has a period that shows up in sunspot data. The influence cannot possibly be gravitational, as a scientist exclaims: "These planetary influences cannot be gravitational, but must be magnetic or electrical in character." Planetary positions have been used to predict solar flares, which is not explainable by gravitational effects. A scientist studying planetary positions and solar activity makes a comment that reflects the limitations of present perspectives: "There was as yet no understanding of why this should be."

The five outer planets' orbital (synodic) periods display close associations with sunspot periods, with the exception of Neptune. A scientist expresses concern over this enigma: "Note that, in spite of its size and great distance from the Sun, Pluto is included as one of the planets involved in a synodic period associated with a sunspot period. This is most surprising. Pluto is the most eccentric of the planets; Neptune, next to Venus, is the least eccentric. In fact, Neptune's orbit is almost exactly circular."

The reason Neptune's synodic period does not show up in sunspot periods is due to the way in which Neptune's magnetic field is offset in relation to the ecliptic plane and the IMF. It is not anywhere near the angular interactions that the other planets have with the IMF. This is also evident in lower radio emissions and an offset auroral zone that rotates with Neptune away from the Sun and the IMF.

Not only do planetary synodic periods correlate with solar activity, but also variations from orbital eccentricity are found in sunspot periods. Conjunctions of Jupiter and the center of mass of the Solar System (barycenter) have been used to predict energetic x-ray flares. Planetary effects on solar activity have been shown in numerous other studies. Many scientists acknowledge that the effect is not gravitational (i.e., tidal).

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Solar Neutrinos

Observations of solar neutrinos confirm both the structure of the Sun, and the influence of planetary Fields on solar activity. Solar neutrinos are subatomic particles produced by the nuclear reactions that take place within the Sun. A direct test of how the Sun produces its luminosity is to observe the quantity of neutrinos that are emitted.

Recent observations show that the Sun is discharging only one-third of the expected number of neutrinos. This greater solar efficiency is in disagreement with the supposedly well-established theory of stellar evolution. Therefore, the Sun's mechanisms are not understood or the classical theory of neutrinos is wrong. Both possibilities are unattractive to conventional theorists. Admittedly, a scientist relates: "Something else in the Sun has to be efficiently transferring energy out of the center." This greater efficiency is also suggested by the long-term (secular) variability of solar activity.

The biggest surprise was that neutrinos fluctuate in relation to the solar cycle. Less neutrinos are emitted during solar maximum, but they should not vary, except on a timescale of billions of years. A neutrino with a large magnetic-moment can interact with strong magnetic fields, causing the spin of the neutrino to flip from left-handed to a right-handed helicity, and thereby, go unobserved in the experiments. That is, the weak interaction coupling (constant) occurs mostly with left-handed spins, and the experiments were designed with this perspective in mind. The spin conversion would have to occur at or above the solar surface, or it would not be correlated to the solar cycle. Therefore, a strong magnetic interaction that originates from outside the Sun is required, because sunspots are bubbles of less dense material coming off the solar surface (e.g., magnetic flux tubes). This sunspot-cycle effect by itself could not bring about the required conditions with only the Sun, and therefore, remote fields are required. The facts at this level also encourage the idea that the remote fields of the planets are involved in solar activity, and this correlates with fluctuations in neutrinos.

A serious shortfall of solar neutrinos was revealed in more recent data from the Soviet-American Gallium Experiment or SAGE. The gallium interacts with low-energy neutrinos created in the prime energy producing reactions of the Sun, but their detected levels were far too low. This statement hints at the Earth's influence: "Such a low rate provides strong evidence that electron-neutrinos somehow disappear between their creation and reaching the Earth." Notwithstanding, it has also been suggested that the neutrino shortfall could be the result of an energy source in the Earth's core, as described for FEM.

In fact, the present theory of flare formation relies on magnetic flux tubes beneath the surface, in the photosphere, while no photospheric process can produce the energy required. Before a flare, dramatic, relative motions of sunspots indicate force-free fields that produce a twisting or shear of the magnetic field lines. Force-free and field-aligned currents are essential to flare occurrence. Furthermore, vortex flows are essential for generating field-aligned currents, while electrons carrying the upward field-aligned currents must be streaming down into a deeper layer, the chromosphere. One group of scientists summarizes:

"Considering all the evidence, it seems that a full solution of the solar neutrino puzzle requires something in addition to the hypothesis of neutrino magnetic moments. The primary concern is the possibility that ordinary cosmic rays, by some unknown process, contaminate the 37-Ar data and lead to a correlation with solar activity through the modulation of galactic cosmic rays. Nonetheless, perhaps some other vector could mediate between the cosmic rays and the detector."

Statements like this suggest planetary fields are interacting with the solar surface, causing the spin flip of the neutrino, as well as the other observations. This is especially true of FEM, because the detector is on Earth, and therefore, the spin flip must take place before reaching the Earth's surface. Then again, as indicated by scientists, this could be due to the fact that the Earth has an energy source deep within its interior, as noted with FEM.

The Vital Vastness continues with other observations that confirm the planetary influences on solar activity. The Earth, however, is the most influential of the planets. This can be seen in the history of solar activity and how it fluctuates with the waxing and waning of civilization. As civilizations spread and destroy wilderness, they offset the dynamics of the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM), and due to its solar linkage triggers solar activity. This is also evident in the Modern Maximum in solar activity, fairly recent solar features, and geophysical effects beginning with the Industrial Revolution, and compounding effects from post-World War II on, when industrialization began a sweeping impact on the biosphere.

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For one example of the fluctuation of solar activity with historical events see the web page In Defense of Nature: The History Nobody Told You About.

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Internet Resources on Solar-Terrestrial Physics

These web sites are not meant to be an exhaustive listing of reliable souces on the World Wide Web, but they are very important, and in some cases, very through and exceptionally interesting.

• Cosmic and Heliospheric Pages and Services

  This website's resources are sorted by the name of the web page or service. This NASA website provides links to everything on solar physics wit links to 83 websites.

• Dynamics Explorer

  The Dynamics Explorer observes the interaction between the Sun and the Earth, particularly the Earth's magnetosphere and the dynamics behind the auroras. This Los Alamos National Laboratory site provides a guide to online data from the Dynamics Explorer, links to instrumentation, the Aurora Image Page (some very interesting and beautiful auroras), the National Space Science Data Center, magnetospheric online data, the Space Physics Data System, and more. There is also another site for the Dynamics Explorer at the University of Iowa.

• TRACE (Transition Region and Coronal Explorer)

  The Transition Region and Coronal Explorer is a NASA Small Explorer (SMEX) mission used to take images of the solar corona and transition region at high angular and temporal resolution. The TRACE project maintains an Open Data Policy: all data are available from data archives as soon as the spacecraft data have been processed.

• IMAGE (Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration)

  IMAGE uses neutral atom, ultraviolet, and radio imaging techniques to: (1) Identify the dominant mechanisms for injecting plasma into the magnetosphere on substorm and magnetic storm time-scales; (2) Determine the directly driven response of the magnetosphere to solar wind changes; and, (3) Discover how and where magnetospheric plasmas are energized, transported, and subsequently lost during substorms and magnetic storms.

• ESA Space Systems Environment Analysis Section

  This European Space Agency (ESA) website provides links to the Auroral Observatory in Norway, European space centers, solar-terrestrial centers, U.S. space centers, the Space Radiation 4.0 for Windows software for modelling ionizing radiation in space, and much more.

• GeoTail Mission

  The GeoTail Mission is an international effort involving NASA, ESA, and ISAS to study the geomagnetic tail region of the magnetosphere. For more on the mission see this NASA spacelink.

• International Sun-Earth Explorers

  This NASA site offers information on the experiments, data, overviews, and more. Another link is avaiable for the ISEE International Sun-Earth Explorer.

• Interplanetary Monitoring Platform

  This NASA website provides information on the experiments, data, overviews, and more on the Interplanetary Monitoring Platform (IMP). The IMP is designed to study interplanetary and magnetospheric cosmic rays, energetic solar particles, plasma, electric and magnetic fields, and solar activity in general. Another link on the mission's overview is available.

• International Sun-Earth Explorer

  This NASA website offers an overview of the mission, data, information on experiments, and more on this solar-terrestrial physics mission. Another link provides a mission overview.

• International Solar-Terrestrial Physics

  This NASA website offers an index, solar wind data, polar observations, the SOHO and Geotail missions, space projects, and more.

• Laboratory for Extraterrestrial Physics

  This NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center website has links to branches of the laboratory, observatory reports, information on the laboratory, Space Sciences Directorate, Goddard Homepage, and NASA Homepage.

• Other Servers of Interest to the Solar-Terrestrial Physics Community

  Here at this NOAA site we find links to 84 websites with solar-terrestrial physics as the focal point.

• Polar Visible Imaging Investigations

  This international NASA/ESA/ISAS effort studies the polar regions on Earth in the visible spectrum. The website also porvides information on instruments, images, small comets, movies, aurora, publications, and more.

• SOHO Homepage

  NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) Homepage provides a mission overview, images, resources for teaching, a data archive, software, publications, and a search engine for specific information.

• Sudbury Neutrino Observatory

  This observatory monitors the flux of solar neutrinos. Experiments performed to detect solar neutrinos were made to test our theories on the physics of the Sun. However, the flux of solar neutrinos was half of what was expected from theory.

• Solar-Terrestrial Physics at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics

  Current research, publications, images, links to solar-terrestrial physics sites, links to data, links to space weather, and information on the Mercury and SAMPEX missions are provided.

• Some Useful Solar-Heliospheric Links

  Produced by the Research Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics, this site offers information on general cosmic ray and space resources, interactive data sources, other comprehensive data sources, space mission data, space physics, journals, newsletters, and conferences.

• Space Physics: Sun-Earth Connections

  This site provides information and links on Sun-Earth connections, space physics sites, a space physics data system, a glossary of solar-terrestrial terms, aurora, NASA flight programs, magentospheric plasma, ionospheric plasma, and solar and eclipse images.

• Space Physics (NASA)

  Anyone interested in all aspects of space physics will love this site. There are loads of information, data, archives, links to other sites, flight projects, and more.

• Space Physics Research Laboratory

  This University of Michigan site provides the history of space physics, research, movies, hot links, technology, and more.

• World Data Center B: Solar-Terrestrial Physics and World Data Center C2: Geomagnetism

  These sites include data links and search capabilities.

• WWW Virtual Library of Aeronomy, Solar-Terrestrial Physics, and Chemistry

  Hot topics, a subject catalog, and links to institutions, organizations, and related virtual libraries are available.

• Royal Greenwich Observatory/USAF/NOAA Sunspot record 1874-2000

  This website offers a wealth of information on the sun, including solar structure, solar features, the sun in action (sunspot cycles, flares, helioseismology, etc.), research areas, projects, and more.

• NASA Marshall Solar Physics

  This site offers a wealth of information on the sun, including news stories about the sun, space missions studying the sun, solar structure, solar features, the sun in action (sunspot cycles, flares, helioseismology, etc.), research areas, projects, and more.

• HESSI Homepage

  This link is to the High-Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager whose primary mission is to explore the basic physics of particle acceleration and explosive energy release in solar flares. There is also Reuven Ramaty High-Energy Spectroscopic Imager

• Spaceweather.com

  This website provides daily reports on space weather. If you sign up for their e-newletter, they send you reports in emails on major solar eruptions (sunspots, solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and aurora).

Related News Items

• A Coronal Mass Ejection Emerges as a Cartwheel. This is the type of observation that one would expect from a a solar-planet linkage in solar activity. It is likely a Sunr-Earth (IMF-FEM ) linkage that caused the ejection, as this was the first mid-phase of the Moon, following New Moon, after the March (vernal) Equinox. A vortex Field could easily create the cartwheel shape as it breaks the Sun's surface magnetic field. See the NASA news release.

  
  

• A New Space Solar Observatory Captures Images of a Solar Flare in an Unexpected Place --in the Sun's Chromosphere. This is the outer "atmosphere" of the Sun, where solar flares are not expected, as solar flares and sunspots are thought to arise from magnetic flux tubes deeper in the Sun. However, this is to be expected if the source for the flare is a remote field, that of the planets (especially the Earth), as described in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two. See the NASA news release.

  
  

• The Sun's South Pole is Cooler than its North Pole, and Other Mysteries Observed with the Spacecraft Ulysses. Though near the lowest point during solar minimum the Sun sent out huge bursts of solar wind particles and they came from near the equator, but spewed out from the poles. The wind has to follow magnetic field lines, but present theory doesn't account for this. Meanwhile, an understanding of the Field-dynamical Model of the Sun, discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two would allow for the prediction of these observations. See the NASA and the Sciencedaily.com articles.

• Once Again, a Solar Cycle is Found in Weather. Climate fluctuations that occur at the end of ice ages are linked to the net result of two well known solar cycles, the DeVries and Gleissberg cycles, with periods of 210 years and 87 years. The climate cycle is a 1,470-year glacial climate cycle. As discussed in The Vital Vastness solar fluctuations alone cannot explain this solar influence without there being a linkage to a more dynamic Earth Model. See the Nature.com abstract and article.

• An Enormous Particle Accelerator Has Been Observed Between the Earth and Sun. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and on this web page. Therefore, this is to be expected on the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM) and its solar linkage. See the Physorg.com article.

• Solar Minimum is Very Active. Things where supposed to quiet down when the Sun enters solar minimum, but this time this is not the case -- as predicted in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. This is the result of a solar-terrestrial linkage and the state of FEM -- as wilderness is destroyed FEM interacts more with the Sun -- making it look more like solar maximum. See the NASA news release, Another NASA story, Physorg.com article, and Universetoday.com story.

• Solar Flare Protons Usually Take Hours to Reach the Earth, but in mid-January a Major Flare only Took Minutes. See the Universetoday.com story, and the Physorg.com article.

• Once Again an Extrasolar Planet has been Observed Tugging at its Sun's Outer Layers. This is actually part of the process that aids in the formation of planets, and is why there is a solar-terrestrial linkage between the Earth and our Sun, as well as other planetary influences on solar activity. See the Newscientist.com article.

• Evidence Shows a Direct Solar Link to Saturn's Disk X-Rays. This solar linkage was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and is to be expected of the Field-dynamical Model of the planets with their solar linkage. See the SpaceRef.com story.

• The Solar Winds of 2003 Caused a Major Ozone Hole Over the Arctic. The real effect has to do with the Polar Field of the Field-dynamical Earth Model (FEM) where the particles of the solar wind enter. Note the illustration and how it is shaped like a cone-shaped vortex, as discribed for FEM. See the Physorg.com article.

• The Solar Wind Originates from Funnels in the Corona. This is to be expected from the solar-planet linkage discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two, and is the effects of a remote field interaction issuing off one or more of the planets, especially the Earth. See the Physorg.com story. [Also, see the original source: Tu, C-Y, et al (2005) Solar Wind Origin in Coronal Funnels. Science 308: 519-524].

• Once again a study shows a link between solar activity and climate. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness and the effect cannot be explained by the solar wind's impact on the atmosphere, as the effect is far, far greater. This is the result of the solar-FEM (Field-dynamical Earth Model) linkage. See the Spacedaily.com artilce.

• The modern sun is the most active in 8,000 years. This is to be expected as life is being destroyed around the global more so than in the last 8,000 years. Life contributes electrical and magnetic forces to the Field-dynamical Earth Model, and its main magnetic field is interconnected with the Sun's Interplanetary Magnetic Field affecting solar activity. This was discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two and In Defense of Nature -- The History Nobody Told You About. See the Physicsweb.org news release.

• The Solar System is Still Feeling the Effects of the October 2003 Solar Blasts -- the Strongest Ever Recorded. See the VOA News story, The Universe Today story, Space Daily story, and NASA news release.

• Of the 750 Comets Recently Observed to Pass by the Sun, 85% are Sungrazers -- Those that Crash into the Sun. As discussed in the The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two these comets bring some of the mass back to the Sun that has been lost to space in the solar wind, making the Sun less of a infinite object. [Personal Communication with the Naval Research Laboratory]. This also takes place on other stars. See the Universe Today story.

• Largest Flare Ever Recorded was Even Bigger than Thought. Researchers have discovered that the November 4, 2003 flare was even larger than previously thought, using new data. See the Space Daily news.

• Finally, an Astronomer Sees a Planet Affecting its Sun. As discussed in The Vital Vastness - Volume Two , and on this web page, a distant extrasolar planet is seen heating up its sun. See the MSNBC news story, and the Universe Today news item.

• MAJOR, MAJOR Solar Activity has been taking place from the end of October into November. Meanwhile, the sun had already gone through two solar cycles of solar maximum, and was "supposed" to be entering a solar minimum according to present theories. Yet, these flares are some of the most powerful ever observed. In both The Vital Vastness and In Defense of Nature it was shown that solar activity would increase more than theorized. In fact, the sun is more active than it has been in an entire millenium, as discussed in a NewScientist.com story, and this other story. See also a discussion in an Earthfiles.com interview with an astrophysicist. Hear the sounds of solar flares in space in this Astronomy.com News Story. More super flares, again! See these news stories in Space.com, Washington Post, and again Space.com. This storm could surpass one that took place in 1859, with communications failed around the Norhtern Hemisphere, see this NASA news release. Yet, another flare is the largest ever recorded with a possible X-35 to X-40 designation, while previous flares have only been under 30-X. See the latest Space.com story.

• The Sun had Two North Poles in March 2000. In its transition of the 11-year solar cycle the Sun's South Pole migrated North. Typical of most major solar events, such as solar maximums, this occurred around the March or vernal equinox. See the NASA news release.

• Studies Have Shown that the March Equinox is More Often the Time for Intensified Solar Activity. Such was the case this year with intensified solar activity was around the equinox according to Spaceweather.com. See the NASA story photos of the aurora taken by the astronauts aboard the International Space Station

• A Double Peak in Solar Activity. Some solar cycles are double peaked, such as the current solar maximum. See the NASA news release.

• A Field in the Earth's Magnetosphere is Unexpectedly Stretching towards the Sun Global views of the Earth's magnetosphere, observed by NASA's IMAGE spacecraft, reveal a plasma tail that stretches toward the Sun. This is a field issuing off the Earth and is responsible for Earthly effects on solar activity. See the full story in a news release from NASA.

• Solar magnetic field is flipping. NASA scientists monitoring the Sun say that it's magnetic field is flipping, which is a sure indication that solar maximum is being reached. See the full story in a news release from NASA.

• Huge solar eruptions observed. Fast-moving solar eruptions -- known as coronal mass ejections (CME) -- overtake and devour slower-moving CME and can trigger long-lasting geomagnetic storms, along with dazzling auroras, when they strike Earth's magnetosphere. See the full story in a news release from NASA.

• New Space Probe to Take a Closer Look at Solar Flares. Solar flares have troubled astronomers ever since they were discovered nearly a century and a half ago. Particle acceleration is extremely efficient, and this particular aspect has been confounding scientists since their discovery. A new space probe is set to take a closer look. See the full story in a news release from NASA.

• Once Again a Study Shows that Solar Activity and the Stock Market Undergo the Same Patterns. Researchers at the University of Warwick in England are claiming the Sun's solar wind follows the same patterns as the stock market. Using data collected from NASA's WIND spacecraft, Professor Sandra Chapman and a team of researchers used an analysis method to model the fluctuations in the magnetic energy density of solar wind. They found that statistically, the fluctuations look a lot like those found in the stock market. There are a number of studies that show this relationship, and the most surprising finding -- in conventional terms -- is that the cycles in the stock market peak first, then solar activity. This is discussed in The Vital Vastness -- Volume Two: The Living Cosmos in Tome Five. The latest study was reported in Space.com's Astronotes for July 26, 2002, "Solar Wind is a Bull Market." Access Space.com and search for the article.

• Loops in the Solar Atmosphere May Cause Sun's Poles to Reverse...and More. What is of particular interest is that the loops only appeared when there were bursts of sunspot activity, which came every 12 to 18 months during the rising phase of the 11-year cycle. As anyone can notice this period is more relative to Earth with a year to year-and-a-half as the time frame. See the Science Daily story, and the Stanford news release

• Coronal Loops on the Sun Defy Gravity. This supports the idea that there is a remote field creating coronal loops and other forms of solar activity, as discussed. See the full Science Daily story.

• Sun Sends Out Two Identical Flares. A series of rare, nearly identical flares with associated coronal mass ejections blasted from the Sun in November 2000. It is a very surprising observation in the conventional sense, since flares are believed to be due to magnetic flux tubes that break through the Sun's magnetic surface. See the news release. This alone suggests that there is more to solar activity that internal processes, and is, in fact, triggered by planetary influences.

• The Sun is Sending Out Masses of Energy in the Peak of its Solar Cycle. The Sun was belching forth huge X-ray flares and giant clouds of high-energy particles. On April 2, 2002, a flare more powerful than any in the last 25 years was unleashed. The flare packed more energy than 100 megatons of TNT and grew to more than 13 times bigger than the Earth's surface. Solar activity is expected to continue at peak levels for at least another year. The aurora, typically occurring in only the polar regions on Earth, have been noted as far south as Mexico. Solar activity is now more active than in all previous observations, extending back to the mid-1700s.

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